- 8th July 2138, Morning, Dawnport Residence of Graham Family -
I woke up, my heart racing. Today was the day I'd receive my Attribution test results, along with various offers from Caster academies, if my ranking was sufficient. A turning point in my life for sure. I had always hoped to be a Caster of the Conjury Attribution. They were the most powerful and respected when it came to pure combat prowess. The alternative attribution was Phenom, which was based on universal physics and manipulation of it. It was less conventional for battle and thus fewer combat applications had been discovered.
Rushing eagerly to the door, I checked the mailbox. Three letters were inside. Two of them stamped with the official GEI seal with the third bearing the insignia of Dawnport. I ran to my room, letters in hand. I had no way of knowing which one contained my official rankings, other than my eye. With a flash of gold filling the room I examined the letters.
The first GEI letter read out as:
================
[Object: Academy Letter]
[State: Genuine]
[Rating: Safe]
================
An academy letter? I was under the impression they were handled by the city. Odd. Upon scanning the second letter, I found what I was looking for.
================
[Object: Rankings Letter]
[State: Genuine]
[Rating: Safe]
================
At this point, my eye began to ache a little. This made sense, singularities were considered a type of sorcery in most cases.
Employing them in rapid succession without training was sure to lead to some drawbacks. I opened the letter, being careful not to rip the contents.
"Erik Graham, Your Extrinsic Energy test has been completed. You possess the evident potential to be a Caster." the letter read.
This made sense. Catherine inadvertently confirmed that yesterday, thanks to my eye.
I continued reading aloud the letter. "Your Caster ID card below holds all the necessary information. We sincerely hope you live up to your potential and faithfully serve as a caster for the eternal glory of the GEI."
Typical GEI weirdness. Anyway, I was more fascinated with this digital ID card.
Upon looking at it, it lit up like the glowing display of an old-age television. GEI logo emblazoned on the top and bottom.
=G=E=I=-=-=-=G=E=I=
[Name: Erik Graham]
[DoB: 07/7/2122]
[Singularity]:
-[Unknown]: Observation-Type
[Attribution]: Conjury/Phenom
-[Rank]: B -[Affinity]: Spark/Gravity
[EX-Signature]: 055GS
=G=E=I=-=-=-=G=E=I=
[New knowledge type added]
"Two?!" I exclaimed impulsively, conveniently ignoring the ding I heard in my head. I wasn't aware that possessing both Attributions was possible, though B was in the mid-range of potential, not enough for the more elite academies. Upon a more thorough inspection of my ID card, I realized that my Phenom and Conjury values were equal. With a quick check of my InfoComm, I discovered this was an exceptionally rare occurrence. The other GEI stamped letter made sense now, I quickly ripped it open.
"Dear Erik Graham, On behalf of GEI Central Academy for the Elite (GCA). We are pleased to inform you that despite your lacking ranking, your possession of a singularity and perfectly balanced Attribution has captured our interest. It would be a waste not to nurture this talent, for the betterment of the GEI.
We look forward to seeing you at our wonderful campus on the morning of August 1st. Glory to GEI".
I must be dreaming again, this was too remarkable to be true, or was it? It felt genuine enough to me, but it could be another one of my wild power fantasies. Considering the events of the past few days, things like this were getting easier to believe. I pinched myself to be sure, and when I felt the pain, I knew it wasn't a dream. I was going to GCA!
Whipping out my InfoComm I called my father. Despite my inhibitions telling me I shouldn't, I nevertheless still had a small sprig of hope.
"What do you want? You know I'm busy."
"I've been offered a place at the GCA!" I said, belated.
"What? How? Why?" He asked, clearly surprised. His dismissive tone completely shifted.
I sent a picture of the letter to his InfoComm.
"That's brilliant! I'm so proud of you!" He said.
This was completely out of moral character for him. I guess the prospects of having a Caster son, with a prestigious education piqued his interest for once. Damn it.
"We knew you could do it." My dad said. "We'll come over as soon as we can"
I'll be honest I was so excited, I couldn't wait to get there. I had always wanted to go to GCA. I was going to be able to learn about my powers and how to control them. But I wasn't looking forward to seeing my parents. They'd always cared about themselves and left me to rot on my own in solitude.
I logged onto the GCA's info page and accepted their offer to study.
-------:-
I ended up not bothering to open the third letter. It was likely from the Dawnport Institute for Caster Education. An inferior option. I checked my watch, time read out as 3:44 pm. My parents said they'd be arriving at 4:00 pm. I decided to check myself with my eye, using my InfoComm's glossy black display as a mirror, sparking the room with the familiar amber light. I should get myself a hand mirror when I join the academy.
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[Name: Erik Graham]
[Age: 16]
[Singularities]:
-[Exalted Sight]: Rank I
-[???]: Dormant
[Attribution]: Conjury/Phenom
-[Rank]: B
-[Affinity]: Spark/Gravity
[EX-Signature]: 055GS
================
It was just as it said on my ID card. Though compared to last time there was more information. Perhaps learning about EX-Signatures from my ID card added that section. That would explain the ding I had heard in my head earlier. Useful. Though the dormant [???] Singularity was still present in the list. Not something I can take advantage of at the moment. I'll hold onto the hope that I'll learn more about it in GCA.
The 0 at the beginning of my EX-Signature was most likely the Null Attribution, which I seem to have none of. A useless attribution found primarily in normies, who don't have enough of either Attribution to perform Extrinsic Sorceries. Like a blank space filler.
-------:-
My parents arrived, with strangely greedy looks on their faces.
Martha, my mother, and Daniel, my father were workers for some important Dawnport trading company. They constantly worked overtime and bootlicked their superiors just for a semblance of social importance. Like many in Scienta, status was one of the most important things for them. I didn't understand the point of it all.
They were part of the E class, an economic class that had money, but they weren't wealthy enough to be called rich. They had a pleasant life, but it was obvious they weren't truly happy.
The E class was, in my personal opinion, the most boring class of people. They were always busy with work and yet they weren't rich enough to enjoy it. They always had their problems, but they weren't poor enough to need help. They lived in their own little world of money and work.
I was different. I didn't want what they wanted. All I cared for was getting strong enough to stand on my own two feet and enjoy a peaceful life on my own somewhere in the boundless plains of Agri.
"So Erik, show us the letters!" My mother said in her voice, filled with opportunism.
I presented my details to them.
"A Singularity? And dual Attribution. Like father, like son." My father said, proudly.
He was overstating his potential. From what I knew, he was a C rank Caster with no drive to improve his casting, past what was needed by his boss. Nothing like my grandfather.
I humored him. "Yeah! I'm lucky, aren't I? Let me show you it."
Let's see how trash my father undoubtedly is.
================
[Name: Daniel Graham]
[Age: 41]
[Singularities]:
-[Essence of the Bootlicker]
[Attribution]: Conjury
-[Rank]: C
-[Affinity]: Spark
[EX-Signature]: 604GS
================
So he did have a Singularity. Though he demonstrates a limited potential for conjury. There isn't a good reason to check on my mother. I already know she's a normie that married into the family. Though from the brief scraps of information I know about his Casting life, my grandfather was a strong gravity Phenom Caster. As a result, I suppose my Attribution affinities make more sense now.
I candidly admit it was rather fun seeing my parent's expectant faces light up with glee when I activated my [Exalted Sight]. They were like fanboys at some GEI-Idol concert. This was going to be annoying to deal with for the next month.
My InfoComm suddenly dinged. I'd received a return message from the GCA admissions committee.
"What was that? Beloved son." My father stated in that disgusting tone he'd started using.
I read out the message in a deadpan tone. "Your place at GCA has been confirmed. Your student apartment Address is room 421, 4th floor. Your uniform will be ready inside. Please only bring 1 personal item and your ID, everything else will be provided. Including a new InfoComm. Please arrive on the 31st July 2138 to properly establish yourself."
At the minimum, this would be an excuse to not communicate with my parents as much. Though the idea of not being able to bring any of my possessions rather irked me. I'll have to gather new stuff when I arrive.
"Oh, my Extrinsics! I'm so proud of you, Erik," My mother said.
I retained a little sympathy for her. Not being able to perform casting crippled a person's work potential in Scienta. Though it was easy to take her words as desperate for ways to increase her social status.
"Thanks, Mother"
This was going to be a long month to endure.